This one was a long wait and a surprise to get back. I lived in Washington for a while as a kid and Steve Largent was larger than life when it came to sports heroes. It is always a nice surprise to see Hall of Famers that will still sign.

Steve Walsh was kind enough to sign my 1991 Pacific card. Walsh was a standout college quarterback winning a national championship in 1987. While Walsh had a long career in the NFL, he spent the majority of it as a backup. Walsh went on to become a successful high school coach and replaced Chris Weinke as the director of football for IMG Academy which is a proverbial factory for blue chip college athletes.

Rich Camarillo was kind enough to sign two cards for me and personalize them. Rich played for the Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals from 1989-1993 but also played for the Patriots, Rams, Raiders, and Oilers. Camarillo was a 5x Pro Bowler (back when that meant alot) and won the Golden Toe award in 1992.

Pro Bowler and former Bengal and Ram Max Montoya returned my card signed. Montoya was a starting offensive lineman for 14 years in the NFL who became a restaurant owner and reporter after retirement. Montoya now raises horses on his farm in Kentucky.

Mark Kelso was a dynamic safety for the great Buffalo Bills teams of the early 90s. After his playing career Kelso served as a color commentator for Buffalo Bills Radio Network and also as an elementary school teacher and football coach.

Kelso was one of the players I remember that wore the cap over their helmet to minimize concussion risk. The cap is visible here in this card. From what I remember the caps were made of a Styrofoam material and I have memories of the helmets at the end of games with paint and foam missing.

One of my favorite receivers of all time, Al Toon, returned my 1990 Pro Set card personalized to me. Toon was an outstanding receiver for the New York Jets whose career was cut short by repeated concussions decades before concussions became a regular topic in the NFL. Toon’s son, Nick Toon, is a wide receiver for the St. Louis….soon to be Los Angeles Rams.